Agency rewards Irish role in drugs seizures

History was made by two law enforcement officials when they became the first Irishmen to be presented with an award by Britain’s Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) for their role in seizing nearly €1bn of drugs.

Recently retired Naval Service Commander Eugene Ryan and Drugs Squad Det Sgt Fergal Foley were given a “Meritorious Award” by SOCA’s director general Trevor Pearse at a ceremony in Westminster.

Both men took very active roles in investigating two major drug cocaine seizures off the South-West coast.